This study examined the relationships between multiple family and child factors and amount and type of parent participation in school activities for 35 families of children ages seven and eight with developmental delays. Informational resources and school characteristics related most strongly to variations in parent participation. (Author/DB)

The parents of a child with Cri du Chat syndrome successfully implemented a gradated guidance procedure the mother had read about in the training manual, "Teaching Developmentally Disabled Children: The ME Book" (Lovaas et al., 1981), to teach their child eating and ball rolling. Skills were maintained at a 52-week follow-up. (Contains…

A study identified social, educational, and demographic characteristics of 30 postsecondary students who demonstrated strong reading and writing skills. Factors included were parental involvement in early education and educational decisions, extensive family communication, early exposure to and intensive experiences with reading and writing, and…

The London Challenge is a Department for Education and Skills (DfES) initiative, which aims to raise levels of attainment in London secondary schools and to create a world class education system in the capital. In 2005, London Challenge commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to carry out a survey of Year 7 pupils,…

There is a strong relationship between students' socioeconomic status and their levels of academic achievement. Although educators should be held accountable for improving the performance of all students, including those living in poverty, schools alone can't eliminate the negative factors associated with poverty that lead to a large achievement…

This report introduces the concept of syncretic literacy by examining an exchange in which a 6-year-old Samoan-American boy, in his urban Los Angeles (California) home, involves members of his extended family to complete homework. The study illustrates how English is sometimes used in ways that are consistent with the socialization practices…

A study examined the home literacy practices of 180 low-income Latino recent-immigrant families participating in a 3-year family literacy program. Data were gathered from videotapes of literacy interactions between parents and children using children's literacy materials, audiotapes of naturally occurring conversation among family members,…

The booklet, written by the medical staff of a children's hospital, provides information for parents of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Arthritis is a swelling of the joint(s) in children and lasts for over 6 weeks (sometimes many years). Aspirin is the main medicine given for JRA, and it works not only to control pain but also,…

The necessity of early education is confirmed by a large body of research, particularly that which reveals the emergence of mental test score differences between children of different social classes during the crucial period of early language development, the second year of life. The evidence indicates that verbal comprehension relates highly to…

This study obtained data to compare the progress of low income Follow Through pupils with full-year Head Start pupils attending regular kindergarten classes. Five groups of children were compared according to class characteristics, parent participation, teacher interviews, and parent interviews. All groups were administered the Metropolitan…

Literature dealing with parent involvement in home-based therapeutic programs for young developmentally disabled children is reviewed. Although research suggests such home based programs can be effective, professionals should carefully consider their expectations of parents as therapists, since they must also play the role of parents and primary…

In an interview, Benjamin Bloom outlines his reasons for studying the development of immensely talented people. He feels his study can help educators understand how all students can be more successful. (MD)

This paper explores the concept of "at-riskness" as defined by Head Start and elementary school professionals who work together in the same building. Using Bruner's (1996) idea of "folk theories," the authors show that the two groups' theories of at-riskness conflict and discuss how these definitions impact their practice with…

Research on elementary school-based programs for increasing the educationally stimulating qualities of the home environment was statistically synthesized in a qualitative analysis of 29 controlled studies. Of 121 comparisons made in the analysis, 91.1 percent favored treatment over control groups, thus pointing to the effectiveness of these…

In order to measure elementary school teachers' feelings about parent involvement in home learning as a teaching strategy and to see how widespread this strategy is, a survey was conducted with 3,700 first-, third-, and fifth-grade school teachers in most Maryland public schools. (MP)